ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — Asheville Regional Airport will soon break ground on its new air traffic control tower.
The $44 million tower will replace the existing 62-year-old tower, which is also the centerpiece to the current terminal. The new tower will not be connected to the terminal and will be built on the west side of the runways, giving it a better line-of-sight of planes both on the ground and in the air.
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"The equipment that they’ll have in the new tower will be the most current, being that it'll be a brand new tower,” said Lew Bleiweis, Asheville Regional Airport president and CEO.
Airport officials expect to break ground on the new tower in January 2023. It is a part of the overall airport expansion project which will also transform the current terminal into a larger and more efficient facility designed to better accommodate an increase in the number of travelers and planes.
According to Bleiweis, the expansion is a matter of necessity to better serve the region.
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“We are such an important factor for our region. We are a huge economic powerhouse," Bleiweis said.
Bleiweis expects to break ground on the terminal expansion in April. Airport officials expect the airport expansion project to be completed in 2026.